Monday, October 12, 2009

What is within our bowl?

October 13 2009

By Beth DeCristofaro

They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and revered and worshiped the creature rather than the creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. (Romans 1:25)

The Lord said to him, “Oh you Pharisees! Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you are filled with plunder and evil. You fools! Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside? But as to what is within, give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you.” (Luke 11:39-41)

Piety

Help me Lord see your glory in creation. Help me, Lord, see and revel in your glory through all your handiwork including those people who get on my nerves, trample on my values and, do not share my beliefs. May I, through looking for you in all, acquire wisdom, humility and love. (based on Psalm 19)

Study

So what’s in our own bowl?

Sr. Jose Hobday, Franciscan nun and Iroquois Indian on her mother’s side, relates a grace-filled moment from her walking pilgrimage with other nuns in the Holy Land, living as “poor praying beggars” much like St. Francis. In Jerusalem she started her days early, walking and praying in a square near an ancient mosque. On morning she was approached by an old, dirty beggar who held out his bowl. She thought he wanted alms but realized, with shock, he was offering food to her. In her words:

“…I looked in the bowl and saw an awful looking mixture of chicken bones, an animal skin, grain and a milky looking liquid. Smiling, he pulled a dirty little spoon from the bowl and, with anticipation, invited me to help myself.

"I didn’t know what to do. The stuff in the bowl looked awful. It didn’t smell any better….Slowly I put the bowl to my mouth and half ate and half drank – and half gagged. – and then – and I’ll never forget this – he offered it to me again! I forced myself to take another helping. We smiled…and he walked on thank goodness.”

What happened next surprised Sr. Jose. Three guards came toward her and, with deference, told her that no one had ever accepted the man’s food before although he came often and offered food. They were touched by her gesture and asked if they could do anything for her. Through their intervention, she was able to visit the sacred mosque which was closed to almost everyone, especially non-Moslems.

Sr. Jose reports that she learned three important lessons through this encounter:

1) Following in the footsteps of Jesus will lead us to the poor;

2) the poor will lead us to God as my acceptance of this man led me to a religious experience in the mosque;

3) even the lowliest among us have gifts to share, and I suspect, their gifts often become the ones we really need even though we almost automatically discount them”[1]

Action

The poor and disenfranchised will suffer without our continued pressure on Congress to further health care reform for all. One of the latest versions of health care legislation will leave 25 million uninsured – that would be 25 Fairfax counties full of people uninsured. Which neighbors and fellow church members could we look at and say, “Yes, you will be without health care. Sorry about that?”

(An) October 8 letter from Bishop William Murphy, Cardinal Justin Rigali and Bishop John Wester (committee chairs of the USCCB on Health Care reform ) reiterated the bishops’ main concerns: that no one should be forced to pay for or participate in an abortion, that health care should be affordable and available to the poor and vulnerable, and that the needs of legal immigrants are met.

“The bishops wrote that “Catholic moral tradition teaches that health care is a basic human right, essential to protecting human life and dignity. Much-needed reform of our health care system must be pursued in ways that serve the life and dignity of all, never in ways that undermine or violate these fundamental values. We will work tirelessly to remedy these central problems and help pass real reform that clearly protects the life, dignity and health of all.”[2]

There has been progress: “- (President Obama) who campaigned on signing the “Freedom of Choice Act” has instead vowed to make health care reform abortion-neutral -- arguably reflecting, at least in part, the political importance of Catholic sentiment.”[3]

Can we accept the bowl that the poor offer us – their labor, their taxes, their work ethic, their humanity which is God’s image? How hard are we fighting on their behalf? Are we so focused on abortion that we are willing to forgo reforms which will provide much more needed assistance to millions? What is in our own bowl?
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